Bobbi Wilsyn

About

Bobbi Wilsyn is the 2018 recipient of the Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in jazz, a singer, actress, voice-over/jingle performer, and a recording artist who has sung on nightclub stages from Las Vegas to Atlantic City. Her performances have also included jazz festivals both nationally and internationally. She grew up singing in the church, doo-wopping in the neighborhood, and performing in school productions. Those experiences are evident in the ways Ms. Wilsyn molds a song to her liking. Singing the repertory that inspired her as a child in Los Angeles, Wilsyn has gained recognition as the featured jazz-blues vocalist with the late William Russo's Chicago-based Chicago Jazz Ensemble (also under the direction of John Faddis) and Dick Dunscomb's Symphonic Jazz International. Performances with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, and the Italian Jazz Band, along with performances and/or recordings with artists such as Kurt Elling, Corky Siegel, Orbert Davis, Thommy Gunther, and the late greats of jazz, Eldee Young, and Eddie Griffin, are just a few indicators of the depth of Wilsyn's professional experience. As an educator, Wilsyn is proud to have been the voice coach for Milton Suggs Jr., Sarah Marie Young, Jonathan McReynolds, and Chester Gregory (to name a few). After her recent retirement and having been conferred the title Professor Emerita from Columbia College Chicago, Wilsyn is embarking on a redesign of her work dedicated to her performance and speaking careers. Completing a new recording project, participating in the development of music streaming opportunities, offering private motivation and performance coaching, and performing at live concerts are how Wilsyn is presenting what she calls her “3rd act!”